GEM

The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) provides an annual assessment of the entrepreneurial activity, aspirations and attitudes of individuals across a wide range of countries. GEM is the on-going study of entrepreneurial dynamics in the world. Initiated in 1999 with 10 countries, GEM 2018 is currently conducting its annual research in close to 70 countries.

Ireland
Paula Fitzsimons, together with co-author Dr. Colm O’Gorman, Professor of Entrepreneurship, DCU, has pioneered the development of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor within Ireland and is the National Coordinator for GEM Ireland. She has developed GEM to the point where it is recognised as the authority on entrepreneurship on the island of Ireland, endorsed by Ministers, consulted by Department officials and government development agencies, and its findings are sought and quoted by academic researchers, students of entrepreneurship, the financial institutions, sectoral bodies, a range of commercial interests and the media.

Enterprise Ireland, supported by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, sponsored the publication of the GEM report for Ireland 2017. It was launched by Heather Humphries TD, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, in July 2018.

International
While strategically positioning GEM on the island of Ireland, Paula Fitzsimons has been involved in a similar process at global level, as an architect of the evolution of GEM internationally, a member of the first Board of the Global Entrepreneurship Research Association (GERA), which is charged with running GEM globally and as a Past President of the Association of GEM national teams. (At present there are 67 national teams involved in GEM).